Falmouth, MA

STAGE DIRECTOR
JOB DESCRIPTION

Stage directing for the College Light Opera Company may be unlike any other stage directing you have ever done.  The pressures of weekly rep are enormous and several competent and fine directors have fallen flat on their faces working under this pressure.  In doing so they did the company and themselves a great disservice.  We urge you, in the strongest possible terms to read this job description carefully and think whether your own approach to directing will allow you to function well in the setting described.

We normally employ four stage directors each summer to direct the nine shows.  We have a "stable" of directors who have been with us for many years.  Usually, however, there is an opening for one new director each season.  First year stage directors are paid room and board and $400 per show directed.  We are looking for experienced music theatre directors.  Our regular personnel are mostly college theatre faculty, one has directed at the New York City Opera, one is a high school teacher.  These are people who work well with young artists, who are well organized and well prepared for their shows and run efficient rehearsals.  We cannot emphasize enough that every bit of blocking must be thought through and written down before you even arrive in Falmouth.  If it is not and if you cannot work in that manner you simply will not get a show on in the time we have.  

The weekly schedule begins on Tuesday with the day given over to learning all of the music for the next show.  Blocking rehearsals take place Wednesday from 10:00-12:30 and 2:00-5:30.  Thursday morning is also for blocking (there is a matinee in the afternoon). Friday morning should finish blocking with a "stagger-through" of the show starting Friday afternoon and continuing Saturday morning.  Saturday afternoon is  there is a sitzprobe with the orchestra.  Sunday morning is time off.  Sunday afternoon is a run-through with piano.  Sunday night is tech rehearsal at the theatre. Monday is touch-up day and usually a run of the show. Monday night is dress rehearsal with the orchestra. Music and dance rehearsals can take place simultaneously with the director's rehearsals.  The stage manager, an accompanist and a conductor are always available at blocking rehearsals.

While we have gone out of our way to emphasize how difficult this job is, it is also true (as shown by our high retention rate among directors) that the good director who is well prepared and organized finds working with the company a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding experience.